Paper Foundation Handmade

The Paper Foundation specialises in the production of fine handmade papers in the European style. The mill is based in Burneside in the English Lake District, a mill village since the Middle Ages and a paper-making community since 1746.

Handmade paper has been made in Britain since 1495 when John Tate founded Sele Mill in Hertfordshire. Using traditional craft skills which remain largely unchanged for hundreds of years, The Paper Foundation make papers of quality and beauty and are committed to ensuring the survival of British paper making by hand. Handmade from traditional natural fibres such as cotton, hemp and abaca, these papers are all internally buffered, neutrally sized, and free from optical brighteners. All have four true deckle edges.

The Paper Foundation are the official successors to Griffen Mill, one of the world’s pre-eminent producers of archival handmade book and conservation papers. In early 2020, due to the retirement of their papermaker, the Mill ceased production in Ireland. Having spent time learning the craft from them, and with their continued support, the Paper Foundation was chosen as their successor. These papers will be recognisable to many as faithful renditions of the original sheets, carefully developed to tone with period style papers.